US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin intends to announce preparations for Operation Prosperity Guardian to counter threats from the Houthis in the Red Sea. The publication reported this The War Zone citing a Pentagon spokesman. Austin is expected to make the announcement next week during his Middle East tour.
“Austin <…> will announce the start of Operation Prosperity Guardian. <…> This is an international operation aimed at ensuring international maritime safety.”,” the publication quoted its interlocutor.
The article also states that a day earlier, a US destroyer shot down 14 drones that were heading towards a merchant ship in the Red Sea. US Central Command later said the drones were flying from areas of Yemen under Houthi control.
Let us recall that in mid-November, Yemeni rebels captured the Galaxy Leader ship in the Red Sea and captured its crew in response to Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip. In December, it became known that American authorities were convincing allies in the United Maritime Forces coalition to increase the size of the task force stationed in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to more effectively counter attacks by the Yemeni Houthis on commercial ships.
To date, four major European companies have already refused to transport various cargoes through the Suez Canal. European countries are already preparing to send warships to the Red Sea.
